Method for controlling the deceleration on the ground of a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the deceleration on the ground of a vehicle. The method obtains, from the crew of the vehicle or from an outside operator, parameters relating to its current position and its current speed. Then it determines a reference position and speed of the vehicle, the reference position being a theoretical position to be reached by the vehicle. Finally it determines, from indicated parameters and from reference parameters, a deceleration command with a view to ending up at a target position at a preselected speed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for controlling deceleration of a vehicle on the ground, the method comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of control parameters, including a preselected deceleration value, a type of deceleration profile selected only from among a “ramp-plateau” deceleration profile and a “plateau-ramp” deceleration profile, an ending position of the vehicle, and a speed of the vehicle at the ending position; 
 after said obtaining the plurality of control parameters, obtaining current dynamic parameters representative of a current position and a current speed of the vehicle; 
 determining, from the obtained current dynamic parameters and from the obtained plurality of control parameters, a reference position and speed of the vehicle, the reference position being a theoretical position to be reached by the vehicle; 
 determining, from the obtained current dynamic parameters and from the reference position and speed of the vehicle, a deceleration command to obtain a preselected ending position and speed of the vehicle; and 
 outputting the deceleration command to perform controlled braking of the vehicle based on the deceleration command. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method includes an iterative portion. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein one of the reference position of the vehicle, the reference speed of the vehicle, and the preselected deceleration value is updated interdependently in the course of a same iteration of the iterative portion. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the value of the reference position of the vehicle is determined in real time from the current speed of the vehicle and from the preselected deceleration value obtained. 
     
     
       5. The method according to one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the value of the reference speed is determined in real time from the current position of the vehicle and from the preselected deceleration value. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising updating the preselected deceleration value in the course of a same iteration, said updating taking place between said determining the reference position and said determining the reference speed. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said updating the preselected deceleration value is performed based on one of a determination of a deviation between the current speed of the vehicle and the reference speed of the vehicle and a deviation between the current position of the vehicle and the reference position of the vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 determining a deviation between the current speed of the vehicle and the reference speed of the vehicle; and 
 determining a deviation between the current position of the vehicle and the reference position of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the event of detection of an overshoot of the preselected ending position by the vehicle, the method further comprises changing the selected deceleration profile of the vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the deceleration command is determined without an estimate of a time from switchover between the ramp and fixed plateau of the selected type of deceleration profile. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said obtaining the plurality of control parameters includes obtaining a weight of the vehicle. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft, and wherein said obtaining current dynamic parameters occurs responsive to an indication of touchdown of one or more wheels of the aircraft. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein data regarding the preselected ending position is received by the vehicle from a remote source via a wireless communication medium. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the preselected deceleration value corresponds to a value of deceleration of the plateau portion of the selected deceleration profile. 
 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when the plateau-ramp deceleration profile is selected as the type of deceleration profile, the reference position corresponds to a position in which the vehicle is anticipated to be situated moving at said current speed, according to the preselected deceleration value, and 
 wherein, when the ramp-plateau deceleration profile is selected as the type of deceleration profile, the reference position corresponds to a position in which the vehicle is anticipated be situated moving at said current speed, according to a near-zero or zero deceleration value. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said obtaining the current dynamic parameter representative of the current speed of the vehicle is obtained using one or more vehicle sensors, and 
 wherein the deceleration command is output to vehicle braking circuitry to perform the controlled braking of the vehicle based on the output deceleration command. 
 
     
     
       17. A system for controlling deceleration of a vehicle on the ground, the device comprising:
 means for obtaining a plurality of control parameters, including a preselected deceleration value, a type of deceleration profile selected only from among a “ramp-plateau” deceleration profile and a “plateau-ramp” deceleration profile, an ending position of the vehicle, and a speed of the vehicle at the ending position; 
 means for obtaining current dynamic parameters representative of a current position of the vehicle and a current speed of the vehicle, the current dynamic parameters being obtained after said means for obtaining obtains the plurality of control parameters; 
 means for determining, from the obtained current dynamic parameters and from the obtained plurality of control parameters, a reference position and speed of the vehicle, the reference position being a theoretical position to be reached by the vehicle; 
 means for determining from the obtained current dynamic parameters and from the reference position and speed, a deceleration command to obtain a preselected ending position and speed of the vehicle; and 
 braking application means for receiving the deceleration command and applying a braking force to the vehicle based on the deceleration command. 
 
     
     
       18. The system according to  claim 17 , further comprising means for obtaining an estimate of a position where the vehicle will reach the preselected ending speed. 
     
     
       19. An aircraft comprising at least one system according to one of  claims 17  to  18 .